Burrowed Treasure

This work explores the quiet reverence due to one of Aotearoa’s most ancient and resilient creatures: the wētā. Created in traditional goldwork embroidery on a vintage kiwi woollen blanket, Burrowed Treasure honours the hidden beauty and evolutionary endurance of this native insect. Though not golden in colour, the wētā is a taonga — a living fossil that embodies the richness of our natural heritage. By rendering it in metallic thread, I aim to elevate the overlooked, giving glint and weight to what lies low in the undergrowth. Often hidden from view, wētā dwell quietly in the forest shadows — enduring, essential, and deeply embedded in the ecology of the bush. In their silence and survival, they are true treasures of the forest.

Artist Details

Artwork ref: 2897
Artist: Caitlin Brogan
Title: Burrowed Treasure
Media: Textile
Theme: Section 1: 2D Small Works, any medium, open theme
Sale Price: $690